Leaf-and-dart explained

Leaf-and-dart (also known as rais-de-cœur and heart-and-dart)^[1] is an ornamental motif made up of heart-shaped leaves (or waterleaves inside hearts) alternating with spearheads (or darts). This motif was used in Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. It was taken up again during the Renaissance, abundantly in the 18th century, being used in the Louis XVI style.^[2]

The French word literally means "rays (beams of light) from heart[s]" (its Italian equivalent being Italian: raggi a cuori),^[3] as the "darts" can resemble triangular lightrays emerging from between the hearts.The singular equivalent (French: rai-de-cœur) is rarely used.^[4]

See also

• Egg-and-dart, a similar motif

Notes and References

1. Book: Altekamp, Stefan . Zu griechischer Architekturornamentik im sechsten und fünften Jahrhundert v. Chr . 1991 . Lang . 978-3-631-43613-4 . 14 . de . Herzblatt, Wasserlaub, Herzlaub, heart-and-dart, rais-de-coeur, raggi a cuori, filla kardioschima.
2. Book: Sylvie. Chadenet. French Furniture • From Louis XIII to Art Deco. 2001. Little, Brown and Company. 72. en.
3. Book: Ramée, Daniel . Dictionnaire général des termes d'architecture en français, allemand, anglais et italien . 1868 . Reinwald . 364 . fr . Rais de cœur […] all. [allemand] Herzlaub, angl. Heart-shaped leaves, ital. [italien] Raggi a cuori. […] en forme de cœur, accompagné de feuilles d’eau [heart-shaped, joined by waterleaves].
4. Jean-Marie Pérouse de Montclos, Architecture. Description et vocabulaire méthodiques, 2011, p. 420